Grape Seed Flour Ciabatta

It seems most food trends originate in California, and this is no different! They’ve figured out a way to use the remains of the humble grape after wine making, and it happens to now be considered one of the “superfoods”, high in antioxidants, flavor and nutrition!

You can find grapeseed flour in pretty much any wine varietal. Chefs are using it in foods that would pair well with that particular wine. Since it isn’t actually a flour, rather the skins and seeds after processing, it can’t be used 100% in a bread, but the little that can be used imparts a very unique flavor and color to the bread. My friend, Craig Ponsford, claims he can make a shortbread cookie with no butter that smells and tastes like a normal shortbread cookie, claiming the Chardonnay flour has such a “buttery” flavor. Crazy!

This months bread will be Ciabatta with Chardonnay grapeseed flour. More information on grapeseed flour and its health benefits can be found here.